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Trial in salmonella outbreak begins in Georgia

By WTOP Staff

ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — Jury selection is underway in the trial for three people charged in a deadly salmonella outbreak traced to a southwest Georgia peanut plant five years ago.

Jury selection began Monday in federal court in Albany in the trial of former Peanut Company of America owner Stewart Parnell; his brother and food broker, Michael Parnell; and the peanut plant’s quality control manager, Mary Wilkerson.

The Parnell brothers and Wilkerson were indicted last year on 76 criminal counts that accused them of shipping tainted peanuts to industrial food customers and covering up lab tests that showed some batches of nuts tested positive for salmonella. Stewart Parnell and Wilkerson also were charged with obstruction of justice.

Georgia plant manager Samuel Lightsey also was charged and pleaded guilty in May to seven criminal counts.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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